Paper Cranes
by Kerosene Desire
Summary: "A thousand cranes, a thousand lives... each a chance to make you mine." Immortality was a bitch, especially when you're doomed to live the same life over and over.


"_Just because death would eventually separate us, that didn't mean it would destroy what we had. I am forever yours, in this world or the next. Some things could penetrate even the formidable barrier of death, and love was one of them."_

**Paper Cranes: Chapter 1 **

_"Would all first year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation; again, all first years report to Beacon Cliff immediately."_

"Pyrrha, there's a spot here next to me!" Weiss called, her hand waving exuberantly; a pleased expression gracing her features as the redhead smiled and took the platform beside her. '_My plan is going perfectly! All I have to do now is make sure we partner up; then, with my academic skills and her prowess in combat, we'll become an unstoppable duo! Oh, I can see it now! We will be the envy of Beacon Academy!'_

As the remaining students lined themselves along the cliff's edge, Weiss' eye caught the unmistakable figure of Ruby Rose; her attire of crimson and coal standing vividly against the backdrop of greenery. The giddiness she once felt quickly faded, soon to be replaced by disdain and a sense of superiority; she simply could not fathom why Ozpin had allowed this _little girl_ to enter his school. As far she was aware, the girl was clumsy and awkward and - if her elder sister was any indication - destined to become little more than a mindless brute with huge boobs.

'_Dunces, the both of them,'_ she scoffed, continuing her internal tirade against those she deemed worthless and inept. Suddenly, a pair of silver eyes flashed in her direction, causing Weiss to 'eep!' softly in surprise; she hadn't meant to get caught staring. But it was the intensity of Ruby's gaze that had truly taken her aback; within it, a multitude of emotions - sorrow, guilt, grief, longing and loneliness; they were the eyes of one who had seen too much, and they certainly had no place on the face of a girl only fifteen years of age.

'_They look like grandfather's eyes...'_ she noted - somewhat amazed - remembering the wariness she had seen in his frosted stare; like old glass, faded and worn by the harshness of time.

Weiss had swiftly looked away, mortified that she had been noticed; curiosity, however, got the better of her and, as she turned to strike conversation with Pyrrha once more, she chanced a glance in Ruby's direction. To her relief, the girl was no longer facing her, instead reaching behind her neck and throwing the hood of her cloak over her head. Glad the moment had passed, she listened carefully as Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch instructed them on their task, shifting into a readied stance as the sound of students launching down the line reached her ears.

"Good luck, Pyrrha. I hope to see you in the forest," said Weiss, as it came close to her own departure.

"Good luck to you as well, Weiss," the warrior replied warmly, her lips curved upwards in a kind smile. "We will see how things go, but I hope to see you as well. You would make an excellent partner."

'_She thinks I'd make an excellent partner!'_ It was the last thought Weiss had before she was catapulted off the side of the cliff, the cool rush of air rippling through her clothes and hair as she sailed higher and higher. Gravity eventually took its toll, the heavy pull against her core an uncomfortable - but not unbearable - sensation as she lost momentum and quickly descended upon the forest floor. Summoning a set of glyphs, the heiress bounced from one platform to the next, swiftly making her way to solid ground.

As her heeled boots touched the plush carpet of green grass, she released a sigh of relief; heights were not on her list of favorite things. Tolerable, yes, but she would have been perfectly fine without them. Taking a moment to dust off whatever debris her clothes had accumulated mid-flight, the Huntress-trainee allowed her eyes to wander; she soaked in her surroundings with a scrutinizing gaze and an analytical mind, gathering her bearings on the current situation.

She calculated the angle of the sun, finding the direction in which she landed. '_The sun rises in the east, and the temple is due north… if I follow this path here, I should be fine. Oh, but I need to find Pyrrha first! She's the only other capable student in this year's class… and I simply refuse to be partnered up with some-...'_

"Don't look at me."

Sapphire eyes blinked in confusion, her long lashes fluttering across her vision as she slid her eyelids open and close several times; as if hoping to see something different each time they parted. When she was repeatedly greeted with the same image, Weiss groaned and buried her face between her hands. Of _all_ the stupid people to meet, it just _had_ to be this one.

"You're overreacting," Ruby sighed, a small frown tugging at the corner of her lips; it was the only part of her face visible, as her hood was hung low, hiding her features behind a dark shadow. "And turn around already. Like I said, I don't want you looking at me."

Warmth spread to Weiss' cheeks, a faint blush coloring her pale complexion as she assumed Ruby was scolding her for having stared earlier. So, what she said next took the fencer completely by surprise…

"You're arrogant and selfish; you've been handed the world on a silver platter, and yet you still want more. I refuse to be partners with you," she stated plainly, pulling the edges of her hood more tightly about her face. "I know that you don't want to be my partner either, so at least we're on the same page, and we've yet to make eye contact, which is the basis for teaming up. Jaune is stuck to a tree about two hundred yards east and Pyrrha is coming in from the west to retrieve him. She's a mile out, but moving quickly; go and intercept her, and I'll find Jaune. Got it? Good."

Without waiting for a reply, the younger girl walked past her, crimson cloak billowing behind her as she disappeared into the brush. Weiss watched her go, the perfect impression of a fish out of water; her mouth flapped open and close, fighting to form words, but nothing would come. _Never_ in all her life had she been so blatantly disrespected; to be dismissed so briskly, and by someone of an obviously lesser standing than her… it was simply infuriating!

Anger welled within the heiress' chest, overflowing like a boiling pot, and coursed through her veins; her jaw tightened, teeth grating furiously, as she clenched and unclenched her fist in an unconscious display of aggression. She was Weiss _Schnee_; daughter to the most powerful business man in Vale, heiress to a near limitless fortune, and student to the greatest names in academics and Hunting. Who _wouldn't_ want to be on her team?

"'I refuse to be your partner,'" she repeated softly, sneering at the words. "How _dare_ she! Who is she to say that I am not good enough to be her partner! It is simply preposterous! In fact, its the other way around… _I_ am too good to be _her_ partner! The absolute _nerve_ of that girl…!"

Weiss paced across the small patch of dirt, contemplating the enigma that was Ruby Rose. The day before, she had all but begged for them to be friends, whining and pleading for her attention like a starved puppy. Come this morning and she had done a complete one-eighty, disregarding her as little more than a nuisance and a waste of time. It was mind-boggling to attempt and find reason, as she could see no instance in their brief encounters where Ruby could have formed such a hateful assessment of her.

'_But then again, I did yell at her every time...'_ she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She knew first impressions were important, but had Ruby truly judged her based on their first day alone? Once again, Weiss felt the familiar anger rise within her, eyes narrowing with heated determination; as much as she wished to partner with Pyrrha, her pride would not stand for the younger girl's unfounded slight to her character. After all, _no one_ refused Weiss Schnee!

Hoping that she wouldn't be too late, Weiss raced after the red-cloaked teen, launching herself from one glyph to the next in order to maximize her speed. In the near distance, she could just make out Ruby's familiar figure, walking casually along as if their previous encounter had not even happened. That alone gave Weiss the final push she needed to catch up and, skidding to a halt directly in front of her, she threw out her hand and wrenched the hood off Ruby's head.

Shocked silver met smug blue as their eyes locked, a pleased smirk tugging at Weiss' lips.

"Hello, partner," she greeted, hand still held firmly to the other girl's cloak. Instead of pushing her away, Ruby gripped her wrist in a vice-like grip, pulling her close until their noses touched; her shock quickly giving way to unadulterated rage.

"Y-you… idiot," Ruby growled, a dangerous look glinting in her storming eyes. "You have _no idea_ what you've just done!"

* * *

**A/N: Another story, I know. But this is just a small side-project; chapters will be short and updated semi-frequently. Just writing this as a bit of respite from my other stories, as I have too many ideas floating around and I _needed_ to get some of them out. Anyway, the significance of the title and summary will be revealed in time; have patience. Reviews are appreciated! :)  
**


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